The Girl From the Woods
by EmLawrence
Summary: The disapearance her parents when she was 4 left Alex Skye and her brother Michael alone in a cabin in the woods, until he too mysteriously vanished when she was 15. Four years later, Alex is still fending for herself, until Loki appears for revenge on Earth and she is thrown into a whirlwind of lies and hurt... and maybe even some romance.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey Guys! This is my first story and I'm really nervous about how it'll go, so pleeeaaase comment and give me feedback! I don't really have much else to say at this point, so hopefully you guys enjoy!**

Alex's keen, grey eyes scanned the forest below her, looking for the slightest movement. She was sitting in a tree, and after just collecting eggs from the nest she'd found there, she was hoping to catch a rabbit or squirrel for that night. She had found enough berries and nuts earlier to last a couple of days, but it had been a while since she last went hunting.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a slight movement, and within seconds her bow was drawn and aimed towards the forest floor. Alex had all but stopped breathing as she waited for the small creature to emerge from the bush it was hiding in. The little head of of a squirrel peered out, and Alex waited for the rest of the body to follow before she let the arrow fly towards one of the tiny white dots of fur on its back.

She nimbly jumped from the tree and retrieved the squirrel and arrow, placing the latter back in her quiver. Smiling, she surveyed the squirrels body, and, as always, she found she had perfectly hit her mark. Alex Skye never missed, thanks to the hours her brother, Michael, spent teaching her to hunt, his choice of weapon also a bow. He had shown her how to throw small knives and spears, as well as setting traps, but brother and sister both agreed it didn't have the same sensation as holding a bow did; fingers curled around wood, the tension of the string as the arrow was pulled back, the satisfying _twang_and _thud_as the arrow was released and hit its mark.

Grabbing her catch, she began to head back home. The late afternoon sun filtered through the trees, the light catching on her long, light brown hair, as she walked to the cabin she had lived alone in for years. She couldn't be sure exactly how long she'd lived there by herself, but before her brother disappeared he had taught her how to tell the time of month just by observing the moon cycle, so she was guessing it had been around four years at least. The lodge didn't have electricity or plumbing and was kind of run down, but it was still home.

After arriving at the cabin, Alex abandoned her load to grab a bucket, heading to the nearby lake to fill it multiple times. Most of the water ended up in a large vat over the fire, Alex dragging it off to wash herself before it became too hot. After she changed, she used any remaining water to scrub down her threadbare clothes and boil the eggs in a pot. She cooked the now skinned squirrel over the fire, retrieving her nuts and berries from her bag to eat as well.

Finishing cleaning the pots and plate after her meal, Alex began to walk past the empty rooms that once belonged to her brother and parents and into hers. She traded the candle in her hand for the book sitting on the nightstand, _Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets_. It was by far one of her favourite books, along with the first and third books in the series, _Philosopher's Stone_and the _Prisoner of Azkaban_. Reading was her second love, after hunting of course, and most of her days were spent curled up inside with a book. She'd read all the books in the cabin multiple times, and yearned for new stories, new characters, new adventures. Crawling under the covers, Alex began to read from where she had left off. She knew there were more books in the series; Harry hadn't actually killed Voldemort in Philospher's Stone, and in Prisoner of Azkaban Peter had run off to join the Dark Lord, as Trelawney predicted.

A good, solid hour of reading later, Ginny had disappeared, leaving Harry and Ron to find out Lockhart wasn't all he was cracked up to be. Placing the book back on the nightstand, Alex blew out the candle and snuggled deeper into her blankets. She let her mind wander, thinking of life with her parents and brother, before she fell into the blissful unawareness of sleep.

"_Okay, steady."_

_Alex had her bow drawn and aimed at the bird sitting in the tree ahead of her, breathing deeply as she tried to keep her focus, which was getting increasingly harder as her brother kept trying to encourage her._

"_Michael, if you don't shut up this arrow is going through your eye instead of the bird's."_

_She heard a low chuckle emanate from a few feet away, and the scowl on her face deepened. He wanted her to concentrate, but how was she meant to do that when he kept distracting her? Inhaling deeply, she let the arrow soar towards the bird, only to have it miss by an inch. The startled bird flew away, and Alex swore under her breath and turned to her brother, furious._

"_Uh uh uh. Language."_

"_Seriously?"_

_Michael feigned a look of innocence. "Well, yeah. Ladies shouldn't talk like that," he said, flashing her a smile_

"_You know what I mean."_

_Michael shrugged. "You need to learn to operate under pressure. You're already easily distracted, and that could make the difference between whether you fail or succeed. Whatever your hunting, at that moment in time, is the only thing that matters in the world, and all your attention needs to be directed at it. You wouldn't let a deer get away because you had a branch digging into your back, it's just a wasted opportunity."_

_Alex mumbled something under her breath about 'wasted opportunities in not shooting you' and began searching for another bird. After she found one, her bow was drawn and locked onto the small animal. From her left, she heard her brothers voice, but this time all her attention was on the bird. Seconds later, the bird fell from the tree, an arrow piercing its eye, and Alex turned to face her brother, her face split in a wide grin. _

"_Ha! What were you saying about being easily…" her voice trailed off, because where Michael used to be there was just empty air. _

"_Michael? Where are you?" She slowly turned, looking for any signs of her brother._

"_Ha ha ha, very funny. You can come out now." _

_Alex didn't notice the darkness and cold creeping in until she was standing in the pitch black woods. Her breaths came quicker, and she wildly looked around for her brother. A small way away from her, she heard footsteps approaching her. _

"_Michael?" _

_Her voice sounded small and far off, and the footsteps continued toward her in silence. She turned and began running through the woods, not seeing where she was going. Suddenly she was tumbling across the forest floor, and when she finally came to a stop the footsteps were right behind her. Alex let out a small whimper, and when a large hand came down on her shoulder, her scream echoed all around her._

Alex woke up the next day, the recurring nightmare of being chased through the woods already fading from her memory as she launched into her usual routine. She ate the last two eggs and some berries, and started to read _Chamber of Secrets_ again. After she finished, she went on to _Prisoner of Azkaban_, knowing that when she finished she would still be left wondering about Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest of the wizarding world. By late afternoon, Alex had abandoned her book in favor of her bow and arrow, hoping for another squirrel or nest to pilfer to feed her for the night.

Two hours later, Alex was walking back to the cabin with five eggs and a rabbit, and though it had been a good afternoon, something didn't feel right. She knew the feeling, she just couldn't place it. The feeling grew more and more unsettling, until she finally realised where she knew it from. Michael and her used hide in the forest, and the first person to find their sibling, sneak up on them and 'kill' them won. Her brother was usually victorious, and though it was meant to be one of many hunting exercises he made her endure, Alex had the feeling Michael just wanted a chance to show off. Anyway, this was the same feeling she got when Michael had found her and was waiting for his opportunity to strike.

Could it be…? No. Alex pushed the thought from her mind. If it was Michael, why was he spying on her instead of just coming to her? But no, it couldn't be Michael, could it? He had disappeared years ago, so why come back now to see Alex_? _It had taken her months to convince herself he was actually gone, so she wasn't about to let herself get her hopes up.

Alex arrived at the cabin and went to get water _as per usual_, the feeling of being watched still following her. When she went inside for the night it lessened slightly, but was still there none-the-less. Although she had a gut feeling something wasn't right, she ignored it, passing it off as paranoia.

She tried to read before she went to bed, but was too unnerved to be able to concentrate on her book. Settling into bed, she tossed and turned for hours before falling into a fitful sleep.

_Night was falling and Alex was silently flitting from shadow to shadow, listening for the slightest indication of where Michael might be hiding. She couldn't, wouldn't, let him win this time; it was her turn to show him what she was made of. The crunch of boot on undergrowth made her wince with every step she took. From her left, she heard the sudden shuffle of leaves, making her freeze. By now everything was silent, Alex waiting for Michael's stare to burn into her back as she continued on her quest to finally beat him. But the cold stare never came, though she was still paranoid he would find her and declare his victory. Again. No, she could do this. She had to do this. Slowly, she placed one foot after the other, moving more quietly than was humanly possible. _

_An hour later, she was still creeping through the forest, no sign of Michael anywhere. The cold was beginning to seep through the forest, though Alex's determination never wavered. _

_Even when she heard footsteps slowly shuffle towards her. _

_In hindsight, she should have known Michael would never let himself be heard on a hunt, but her desperation to win caused her to whip out her bow and arrow and spin around, hoping if she had him rendered helpless first she would be announced 'the best' for once. Her wild hope turned to confusion as she stared at the empty space behind her, her bow and arrow slightly dropping as she looked around, sure he had been right there. _

_"Dammit," she muttered, hearing someone approach from her left. She slung her bow back over her shoulder and turned to face the trees where she was sure Michael was hiding, waiting for him to emerge and the taunting to start._

_But it never did._

_Instead, the footsteps gradually travelled closer to Alex, and she began to feel uneasy. _

_"Michael, you win, I give up, it's getting late. Can we get this over and done with and go home?"_

_No response. _

_The footsteps neared Alex. _

_"Michael stop it's not funny," she said, an edge of panic creeping into her voice. _

_The footsteps were getting closer with every second, and Alex, finally accepting whoever was coming for her was not Michael, turned and ran. _

_Twigs and branches tore at her skin and clothes as she stumbled blindly through the forest, breathing heavily and operating only on adrenaline. She knew running meant getting away and being safe, stopping... well, she wasn't exactly sure what that would entail, but instinct told her it wouldn't be good. _

_"Michael!" she yelled, wanting more than anything for him to find her now. _

_"Alex?" he called, a note of worry in his voice_

_"Michael!"_

_"Ale-," before his sister's name could leave his lips, there was a massive thud and the two were sprawled on the forest floor, both scrambling to their feet immediately. Grabbing his hysterical sister, Michael dragged her behind a tree and clamped his hand over her mouth._

_"Shhh, you need to calm down ok? Ok? Alex? Alex stop, you need to listen to me."_

_Alex looked up at her brother, her eyes filled with panic as she hyperventilated and shook uncontrollably. _

_"There's someone in the house, Alex, stop, please, and you need to wake up, ok? Then you need to run, don't worry about them just run, yeah? You need to calm down, you'll be alright, I promise. Just wake up and run, ok?"_

_"Micha-? What? What do you mean?" Alex searched his face, looking for a hint at what her brother was talking about, only to find concern etched across it, his mouth forming a sad smile. _

_"This is only a dream Alex, but you really need to wake up. Promise me you'll do what I said, you'll be safe."_

_He wrapped his arms around her, gave her a small kiss on the forehead, and disappeared with everything else. _

Alex bolted up in bed, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. A sliver of moonlight crept through a crack in the curtains, glinting off the knife she had pulled out from underneath her pillow. Realising she was in her bed, she let out a sigh of relief and lay back, closing her eyes as she tried to calm down. Just as she began to feel drowsy again, she heard the creaking of floorboards somewhere in the house. Sitting back up slowly, her grip tightened on the handle of her knife as she all but stopped breathing. Upon hearing the sounds again, Alex quietly swung her legs out of bed, and after slipping the knife into the waistband of her pants, she grabbed her bow and arrow from where it was leaning on the end of her bed. Drawing an arrow, she quietly stepped around her door and down the hall.

Another creak, accompanied by a strange hiss and click, reached Alex's ears. Freezing, Alex remembered her brothers warning.

_"There's someone in the house... Don't worry about them just run, ok?"_

Should she slip back up the hall and out her bedroom window? Or try and evade the intruder and escape through the front door? '_Stop_,' she thought, '_it was just a dream. He never warned me of anything, and there's no one here. It's just an animal._' But what about the hissing and clicking? She'd never heard an animal make that sound before. It was almost... Unnatural. Alex inwardly groaned in frustration. Why was she being so paranoid today? First she was being 'followed', and now this? Somehow it all had something to do with Michael, she knew it, though she wasn't sure what.

_Hissssssss, click click click_

Alex's heart was pounding against her chest as she continued down the hall, not sure what she was going to find at the end of it. Peering around the corner, her whole body tensed as she tried to swallow a scream. In the middle of the living room stood a creature she'd never seen before, and frankly never wanted to see again. Scaly and covered in some sort of armour, it's head swung slightly toward where Alex was, before making the same hisses and clicks Alex had heard earlier. Before long, another one joined the first one, and after what Alex thought must have been a hushed conversation, it left again.

'_Now's your chance..._'

Alex closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, hoping she would hit a weak spot on the creature and kill it immediately... But what if it didn't work? What if there were more in the house, but she only knew about the two? She lowered her bow and leaned back against the wall, starting to shake. She should've turned around before and jumped out the window; she would've be fine in the woods for a few weeks, or however long it took for those things to get out of her house. Just as she was about to try and sneak off back down the hall, she heard another conversation start, but this time one of the voices belonged to a human.

"I'm sorry, but I don't recall you being announced leader of this little expedition."

Alex stayed glued to the spot, torn between running or staying to see what these people... Well person and... Things... Wanted.

_Hissss click click hisssss_

"While I may have failed him, he has still put me in control, and I will not tolerate any insubordination on your behalf," the man ground out. Alex was half scared, half awed by the man voice. This was the first time in three years she'd been around another human, and even though she was in a potentially life threatening situation, she couldn't find it in herself to run.

A growl emanated from the throat of the clearly aggravated creature, and it stalked off into the next room. Gathering the last remaining shreds of her courage, Alex forced herself to sneak a look around the corner once again, this time hoping to catch a glimpse of the man who had spoken before. Menacing authority. His very being screamed it, and Alex felt pity for anyone who found themselves under his cold hard stare. Even the sight of him in his green, black and gold armour and cape caused Alex to shrink back against the wall, where she considered her options. 1) Back to her room and out the window like "Michael" said, or 2) Find out why this guy and his... Friends were in her house (even though the thought of being anywhere in his vicinity made her skin crawl). Before she could decide, the stranger's voice rang out again, seeding a shiver down her spine.

"Waiting here is becoming tedious: it's better to be early in the course of our plan than late. Go get the girl."

'_Crap._'


	2. Chapter 2

**I might not have the next chapter up by next week as I'm going camping, but I'll try to update ASAP. This chapter's shorter than the last one, but I'm going to try to keep them this length so I can easily update weekly. Please review what you think so I know if it's any good :)**

Why didn't Alex bolt to her room and make an escape out the window? Why did she stay crouched at the end of the hall, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape? Why did she only take action of the situation when one of the scaly creatures had rounded the corner, halting right in front of her and demolishing her plans for escape?

You could say she was rooted to the spot with terror, or she had a strange fascination with the strange man in her living room. Even she couldn't tell you exactly why, but as soon as the walking nightmare was in front of her, it found itself face-to-face with the end of her arrow. Seconds later, however, Alex felt the cool, sharp edge of metal on her throat and the firm grip of a hand on her left shoulder.

"Drop your weapon."

It was the clear commanding voice of the man, who was now behind her. '_What the hell?!_' Alex thought as she turned rigid. He was in the living room mere seconds ago, so how had he gotten behind her?

"I said drop it!" He snarled, the grip on her shoulder tightening and the dagger pressing harder against her skin. But for some reason, Alex refused, keeping her bow level with the creature's head and never wavering in her stance. She heard the man chuckle in her ear, though there was no humor in it.

"Silly girl, you really think you can stand up to me and get away with it? How about you drop your pathetic excuse of a bow, and maybe I'll consider lessening your punishment."

Alex let out a small gasp as the knife was pressed ever harder against her throat, sure this time it had drawn blood. The bow and arrow were slowly lowered, then dropped to the floor with a clatter.

"There's a good girl. If only all mortals were this obedient."

A fire raged in Alex's stomach, a rush of hatred towards these intruders, especially their leader, who was treating her like a little girl, expecting her to obey his every order. But he had a weapon, he was at an advantage, while she was unarmed and at his command.

The pressure of the dagger on her skin decreased, and Alex suddenly remembered her own, hidden away in the waistband of her pants. In a flash, her arm, knife in hand, was swinging behind her, until it came into contact with…

Nothing.

She turned around wildly, looking for her captor, who was nowhere to be seen. With a shriek, one of his cronies leaped at her, and with a quick drop and dive she once again had her bow and arrow. A second later the attacker had thudded to the ground, an arrow protruding from it's neck. Mr. GreenBlack&Gold suddenly appeared, literally appeared, in front of her, and with one hand wrapped around her throat he pulled her off the ground and slammed her body against the wall.

"Stupid. Pathetic. Mortal," he growled at her, while her hands scrabbled at his claw-like grip around her neck. "You might want to learn to respect those higher than you, or you will find yourself in an even more unfavorable situation. Understand?"

Alex nodded her agreement, gasping for breath as he released her and she fell to the floor. She was pulled up with her arms pinned to her sides by the second and now only thug of the mysterious man, who stood back, observing her with calculating eyes. Before she could even consider them, the words fell from her mouth:

"Who the hell are you?"

He waited a while before he answered, still staring at her, deep in thought. After seemingly coming to a decision, he smirked, walked forward and put his hand under her chin. She could feel something flowing through him, buzzing like electricity, keeping her paralysed and unable to pull away.

"I," he said softly, forcing her to strain to hear, "am Loki of Asgard." And with that, the buzzing moved from his hand to her head, enveloping her in darkness.

* * *

><p>The mortal girl's head slumped forward as Loki removed his hand from her chin, wiping it on his armor in disgust. Idiotic girl, trying to defy and attack him. He could admire an act of bravery, but her actions were not courageous, just feats of stupidity. How could this girl, believe that she, a petty mortal, could ever be his match in combat? In saying this, he acknowledged that he was far from being Asgard's most skilled warrior, but he could still wield a weapon better than any Midgardian.<p>

Loki watched as the remaining Chitauri bound the girl. He was confident his spell would last hours before she awoke; the bonds were just an added precaution. Unfortunately, in his eyes, the Chitauri who had challenged him previously did not suffer the death caused by the mortal in her attempt at escape. Loki wasn't sure he could continue to endure the mutinous threats delivered by the insufferable creature, lest he finally let his anger get the better of him. Both were sent to Midgard by Thanos; Loki to redeem himself of the failure his last attack on Earth had ended in, and the alien to watch him and ensure he succeed in his plans.

The mortal girl ('_Alex_,' he thought) lay abandoned on the floor, while the Chitauri rummaged through rooms and belongings mostly covered in a fine layer of dust. Moving closer, the God saw the small amount of red smeared across her neck, the faint shadow of a bruise blooming across the skin on her arm and throat. It disgusted him how fragile these creatures were; how easily they could be wiped off the face of the planet. Yet they insisted on fighting a hopeless battle against beings superior to them when they should have just accepted their inevitable defeat.

Loki could already sense his little captive would be one of those stubborn fools who refused to believe they had lost, who would fight back with every chance available; that's why he needed to set the next step of his plan in motion, soon. If the girl didn't trust him, just for a little while at least, his mission was ruined and her time with him would become extremely unpleasant indeed...

The Chitauri finally returned to where his leader waited, a bag full of various items in hand. Loki looked at him, his features organized into an expression of boredom and impatience.

"You took your time," he growled. "Grab her so we can leave this hovel."

The reptilian creature threw their prisoner over his shoulder, following the prince out the door and away from everything Alex had known.

* * *

><p><em>"You never were good with following instructions." <em>

_Michael was in front of her, a half amused half exasperated look on his face._

_"What's that supposed to mean?" Alex snapped, irritated at her brothers chastising. _

_"Every time, _every time_, I have _ever_tried to give you advice, you ignore it, until you realise that I was right!"_

_"Well I'm sorry, but who are you to tell me what to do? You haven't been here for four years, Michael. _Four years_. You don't have the _right_to tell me what to do then scold me for it."_

_Michael stared at her, his hurt written clearly across his face. Alex immediately felt bad for what she's said, but her stubbornness stopped her apologizing. _

_"Alex," he said softly, "I didn't want to leave you. It's just..." He trailed off, then let out a shaky laugh. "It's only because I care, Al. You should know that."_

_Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes, blurring her vision. _

_"I do, but... Why, Michael? Why did you have to leave me? First Mum and Dad, and then you..." She worked to calm her breathing, and wiped her eyes with her palms. Next thing she knew, he had his arms wrapped around her, and she sobbed freely into his shoulder. _

_"You'll find out. Soon. I promise."_

_And, as always, everything around her disappeared as she slipped back into consciousness. _

* * *

><p>The white almost blinded her, coming at her from every direction. Once her eyes adjusted to her surroundings, she was able to take them in. The walls, the table, the sheets she was tangled in; all white. Even the singlet top and short bike pants she found herself in were the harsh colour.<p>

Swinging her legs out of the bed, Alex stood up and slowly walked over to the door on the wall opposite to her, turning the handle only to find it was locked. Sighing, she turned and saw that on the table a few feet from the bed was a plate, with a sandwich (something she hadn't seen since her parents disappeared) with a slice of thin meat on it, and a bundle of a small, green, oval-shaped fruits she had never seen before on it. A glass of crystal clear water sat beside all this, and even though she was starving, Alex was hesitant to eat or drink anything that sat in front of her.

Her mind flashed back to... The previous night? How long had she been unconscious? She shook her head. How _long_she was out for wasn't as important as _where_she was, and _why_she was there. That man who called himself Loki; Alex knew he had all the answers, could tell her why she'd been taken from her home.

Suddenly the full force of it all hit her, and she sank into the chair by the table feeling light-headed. For the first time she could remember, she wasn't left in the forest, in the cabin. She was in the real world. A slight feeling of elation filled her until she realised that, first of all, she was locked in the strange room, and second, even if she wasn't, she had no idea exactly what she'd do in life outside the woods. She knew nothing about it, except for whatever unreliable information she gleaned from books.

Resting her elbows on the table, she buried her face in her hands, too drained to even cry. Fatigue settled over her, despite the fact she had been asleep for probably a day now. After trying one last time to open the door, she crawled back under the sheets and let sleep overcome her.

* * *

><p>Hours later, when Alex's eyes drifted open once again, the plate and glass had disappeared from the table, where someone was now sitting.<p>

Loki looked over at her, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Ahhh, Ms. Skye. Care to join me?"

"_Ms. Skye_" stared stunned and bleary eyed at her unexpected guest, his green and black attire a stark contrast to the pure brightness surrounding him. Alex's expression caused him to laugh softly, then, "Well?"

Eyes fixated on the man in front of her, she slowly rose and made her way to the table. With a wave of his hand, another chair appeared opposite Loki, where Alex took her place, arms folded across her chest. With another wave of his hand, two glasses of water were suddenly in front of them, one of which he plucked from the table and sipped.

Alex glared at the water and her kidnapper distrustfully.

"It's not poisoned. I promise," he said charmingly.

She frowned.

"Who are you?"

His smile faltered slightly.

"Now, I do believe we covered that the other night."

"Oh yeah, after you held a knife to my throat and tried to choke me. Sorry, how could I forget, _Loki of Asgard_," she spat at him. What, suddenly he wanted to play Mr. Nice Guy? Seeing the look of annoyance that flickered across his face, she inhaled deeply, calming herself down. '_Don't piss him off or he won't tell you what you want to know_'. She sighed.

"Who are you, as in where are you from, or with, or whatever. What do you want with me? Whydid you bring me here?" Alex said all this in a flat voice, looking Loki dead in the eye. She saw the irritation leave his face, replaced once again by a tight smile, her lack of an apology not going unnoticed. Had he not needed her full participation, she would have paid duly for her insolence.

"Yes, well, it was important we transferred you here quickly and without too much trouble. Prince Loki, of Asgard, one of the nine realms. I am aware of your… limited knowledge in the events of Midguard, so we'll save that story for another time, shall we? As for who I'm _with_," he made a motion with his hand, "also a story for another time. What I want and why you're here, however, is information I am more than willing to share with you in the present."

He leaned forward in his chair, hands clasped in front of him.

"I have a... _proposal_of sorts for you. And information on your brother."


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry I haven't updated in so long, but with school starting and everything going on, I haven't had a chance to add chapters. Anyway, there's some Tony, Pepper and Fury in here, so let me know if I'm writing them any good. And I'm not sure how I'm going with Loki? I've tried to show his manipulative side here, but please tell me if you don't think it's too accurate. Anyway, hopefully you enjoy!**

"We'll discuss your brother first, since I highly doubt you'll accept my offer until you understand the circumstances.

"When Michael disappeared from your home, he was taken by a government agency. During his time there, in which he was trained, they led him astray. He believed he was helping in fighting for your realms freedom, until I found him and set him on the right path. The organisation was convinced that to save your people, they had to hide the truth from them. They have let governments crumble down on themselves while the Earth stays in chaos, only concerned in affairs that benefit them.

"Once your brother and I were working together, he assisted me in working towards taking down the agency. We were almost successful, however old... acquaintances, of your brothers were still under the impression they were doing good on the organisation's behalf."

Alex stared at him, her mind trying to grasp the full meaning of his words. Government agencies? Earth in chaos? Anyone else would have been overwhelmed by all this information, but Alex's lack of knowledge caused her only to be weary. Her brother trusted this man. At least that's what he was telling her.

"As much as I want to know what exactly happened with my brother and why he left me, where is he now?"

Loki suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"I thought you wanted to cover the '_why_' you are here first."

Her eyes narrowed.

"That was before you told me you knew Michael. Where is he?"

The Prince's discomfort was becoming clearer with each passing second.

"Alex… your brother… he's," Loki swallowed, "...dead."

"He's… how…?" Alex couldn't form the question. God, even if she could have she wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer.

"A specialist group of agents working for his previous organisation."

A pained look crossed Loki's face. "I'm sorry."

Shaking, her arms folded even tighter over her chest, her eyes staring unfocused at the table. Several minutes passed, in which Loki watched the girl in front of him carefully, both parties remained silent. Thoughts filled Alex's head, fighting one another to be in the spotlight. Numbness filled her whole body as she sat there, completely stunned yet emotionless.

"So why do you need me?" She suddenly asked, unable to keep the tremor out of her voice.

Contemplating his answer, Loki waited a few moments before he replied.

"Not once, in the whole time I'd known him, did your brother ever mention a sister. It was only by chance that I discovered your existence. The skill Michael brought to the table... I was hoping it might have run in the family. In other words; I want you to join me in my quest to finally put an end to the people who are controlling your world from behind the curtain, to the organisation that has taken so much away from you."

Alex sat there, confused and unsure. She was no where near being on Michael's skill level, and besides, how could she trust anything he was saying? There was no proof that he actually knew Michael, so how could she believe him? But then again, why go to all this effort just to play her...

"I'll give you time to contemplate your decision, of course," he added.

Downing the rest of his drink, he stood, walked around to Alex and placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently,

"Again, I'm sorry. I know what it's like to lose someone close to you," Loki said softly, before he walked from the room, the door clicking shut behind him.

Somehow, even with everything weighing down on her, Alex managed to make her way over to the door. Locked. Almost in a daze, she climbed into the messy bed and buried her face in her pillow, letting her tears flow freely.

* * *

><p>Standing outside the room, Loki heard the door handle jiggle, then the muffled sobs of the girl as she reacted to what he'd just told her. The whole ordeal was painful; playing nice, pretending to care for Midgard's wellbeing, comforting her when he'd delivered the news of her brothers death. At this point, he was confident she was beginning to believe his story. It was the truth… well, a version of it anyway.<p>

But the technicalities of it all were irrelevant, as long as she agreed to fight with him. It was so easy to manipulate these Midgardians; they trusted anyone whose story seemed believable enough. He knew that eventually she would find out the truth, and when that happened the second stage of his plan could be carried out.

Loki marched down hallways, making his way to his own room, which was situated on the higher deck of the flying ship. It was much like S.H.I.E.L.D's helicarrier; a base of operations traveling through the skies undetected. Reaching his door, he walked into the luxurious space, with its plush carpet and king sized bed. He moved to a dark corner and sat, legs crossed, closing his eyes and opening his mind. Thin, snake-like tendrils reached out, seeking the presence of another being.

"_Aaah, Loki. For your sake, I hope you have come with good news._"

"_I have, my lord. We have the girl. I have given her the offer. It is my belief that she will accept, soon._"

"_No, your beliefs aren't good enough. You need to ensure that she accepts the offer. You know what the consequences are if you fail me. Again._"

"_I am fully aware, and I can assure you this time I will succeed."_

"_I'm sure you will_," he said, amused. "_I assume you haven't forgotten what happened last time?_"

How could he?

"_Of course not._"

"_Is that all?_"

He was taken aback by the abrupt end to the conversation. Usually, Thanos liked to keep Loki in his company for longer, reminding him of his previous punishment and the one that awaited him if he ever made the mistake of failing him again.

"_Yes, Master._"

And just like that the connection was severed. Loki sat for a while longer, wondering why Thanos had been in such a hurry to end their discussion, his statement of _Yes, Master _leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. He hated bowing down to anyone, believing, no, _knowing_, he was was the rightful leader of this endeavor, yet he was forced to act as merely a tool of Thanos. Ever since Loki's last attempt at capturing Earth had failed, the power hungry alien had deemed him weak, missing no chance to remind Loki of his pain. Even his rise as Asgard's new king didn't change how the tyrant viewed him. Unfolding his legs and standing up, the God left his room. He had business to attend to.

* * *

><p>Pepper's laugh filled the room as she was playfully grabbed from behind and pulled onto the couch.<p>

"Tony!"

He nuzzled his face into her neck and nipped at her skin.

"Come on Pep, just relax for five minutes."

"I can't I'm busy."

"Well then, I'm making you take a break. You know, as your higher in command and whatever."

"I'm pretty sure I'm running the company now, so technically _I'm_ the higher authority here," the red head pointed out.

Tony winced.

"Ouch."

Planting a kiss on his cheek, Pepper made a move to get up, however the billionaires grip only tightened.

"Come on. _Five minutes_." Tony looked at her with his biggest puppy dog eyes. Relaxing in his arms, her eyelids fluttered shut.

"_Fine_," she muttered, a smile playing on her lips. She hadn't realised how tired she was until now. Tony knew she needed the rest, and let her head lay against his shoulder. He felt triumphant after realising he had kept her there for nearly twenty minutes, though it was short lived.

"Mr. Stark?" Jarvis' disembodied voice woke Pepper with a start, and Tony sighed irritably.

"Yes?"

"Director Fury is here to see you."

"We're not here," he called back, grabbing Pepper again as she tried to make her escape.

"Tony, he wouldn't be here unless it was important. Go see what he wants," she tried to argue, struggling against him.

"But I don't want to, so…"

"You can be such a child sometimes, you know that?"

"Yeah, but we both know that that's why you love me."

"Mr. Stark?" Jarvis interrupted.

"What now?" Tony snapped.

"Director Fury is on his way up."

"Seriously? How many times do I have to reprogram you before you'll actually keep people out, huh?"

"Sorry, Mr Stark."

"Just saying," he muttered as the elevator doors opened.

"Ahhh good ol' Nick. Nice to see you again, you look good. Different, almost. Let me guess, you got a new eyepatch? Coat? Haircut, maybe?"

Fury looked less than amused, while Pepper was quite the opposite, standing behind Tony and biting her lip in an attempt to keep herself from giggling.

"Nice to see you too Stark," the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D said, walking towards the pair.

"So, nothing new? Same old, same old?"

Again, he ignored Tony's remark, instead glaring at him.

"Ok, ok. I'm sure you wouldn't be here unless it was important, so fire away."

Pepper rolled her eyes, while he only grinned.

"Since Coulson is… no longer with us, I've taken it upon myself to come and see you, since I doubt anyone else could deal with you."

Now it was Tony's turn to roll his eyes.

"I know, I don't play nice with others. Can we just get to why you're here? You kinda interrupted me Pep, as you S.H.I.E.L.D agents always seem to do when you drop around."

"We need to re-assemble the Avengers."

"Look, as much as that whole little gig was fun, I don't do 'teams'."

"In case you haven't noticed, this isn't about you, Stark, this is about protecting Earth."

"I never said I wouldn't help you fight, just that I wouldn't do it as part of the Avengers."

"And why not?"

"Too much stress. Not good for here," he said, tapping on his chest.

"Besides, he destroyed all the suits," Pepper interjected.

Tony gave her a sheepish look.

"Or maybe not," she said angrily.

"Pep, come one. I only kept one, just in case I needed to protect you -,"

"Sorry to leave so soon, Director Fury, but I have business to attend to," she huffed, and left the hastily.

"Happy?" Tony asked, gesturing him.

"Tony, we need your help."

"I promised Pepper no more fighting, so sorry, but no." Just as he was turning to go after Pepper, Fury tried one last time.

"Loki's back on Earth. We don't know why or what he wants, but only the Avengers can stop him."

"I thought he was locked up and on the receiving end of Asgardian justice, and how can you be so sure we can stop him again?"

"He's escaped somehow, Thor's already been notified and is willing to help. And we don't know that you can stop him, but you're the only hope Earth has."

Tony stood for a while, thinking about what he'd just heard.

"Fine, as long as I'm team captain this time."

"There's no 'I' in team, Stark."

"No, but there is a 'me'."

"I'll send someone to come get you tomorrow morning."

"You're kidding me."

"After what happened last time, we aren't willing to allow room for error."

"Fine," he repeated, "where's all my files?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D's still down from the Winter Soldier incident, and we don't know why Loki's here this time, so there's not much information we can provide."

"Right, so this is going to be worse than last time? Great." He ran his hand through his hair.

"I'll see you in the morning," Fury, who was already halfway to the elevator, called over his shoulder.

"Yeah, in the morning," he said to himself, shaking his head. Then he turned and left to try and reconcile with his now _very_ angry girlfriend.


End file.
